Shalom

26 Dec Wed	St Stephen, First martyr
	Acts 6:8-10 7:54-59 Ps. 30:3-4,6 and 8 Mt. 10:17-22

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Is it odd that on this, the second of the traditional joyful "12 days of Christmas", we should make festival for a martyr? Remember a violent death as we celebrate a peaceful birth? Put the heavenly birthday of a young Christian minister immediately after the earthly birthday of the Son of heaven? Sentimentality and commercialism do obscure the meaning of Christmas - the birth of Christ at Bethlehem is really so full of paradox and contradiction. Celebrating St Stephen reminds us of the cross over the crib. Like Jesus, Stephen was not accepted by certain people, then falsely accused, condemned and killed. [The liturgical reading from the Acts of the Apostles only gives the beginning and end of the story of Stephen: it's worth reading the rest of it, and noting all the similarities]. Stephen was the first Christian martyr, chosen as a deacon to serve the faith community, which he did with his life. Countless others, since then and up to today, have also given that witness. It is a parallel to the angels' witness on Christmas night, "Glory to God in the highest". And it's what Jesus Himself foretold for His followers, as today's Gospel reading from St Matthew reminds us, "You will be hated by all on account of me". But Jesus also said not to worry about how to respond, for "the Spirit of your Father will be speaking in you" - that same Spirit who also filled St Stephen.

In times of joy and celebration too, we pray, "Into your hands, Lord, I commend my spirit".

DAILY OFFERING

Eternal Father, I offer You everything I do this day; my thoughts, words, joys and sufferings. Grant that, vivified by the Holy Spirit and united to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, my life this day may be of service to You and to others. I also pray that all those preparing for marriage discover in Sacrament the source of Christ's grace for living a fithful and fruitful love. Amen.

PRAYING WITH THE CHURCH

INTENTION
That Christians may free themselves from the subtle forms of cultural conditioning which prevent them from recognising the dignity and rights of others
Elaboration

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P R A Y I N G W I T H T H E C H U R C H

INTENTION :	That Christians may free themselves from the subtle forms of cultural conditioning which prevent them from recognising the dignity and rights of others
Our vocation and mission as Christians is to bring the light of Christ to the world in order to preserve the world from corruption by permeating it with the values of the Gospel. We need, ourselves, first and foremost to be enlightened by Christ. We do not generate light, we only refract, reflect and radiate. It is His light that we must cast on the world. The more transparent our lives are with the values of the Gospel, the better is the light of Christ reflected and the less we are seen. The world in which we live is mixed with wheat and weeds. There is good and evil. Consumerism is but the logical sequence of a materialistic way of life. Spiritual values are forgotten. Our wants are made to appear as our needs and we are forced to get so immersed in the joys of this world as to forget the joys of the world to come. We are admonished to be aware lest we be trapped by these and other forms of cultural conditioning that mark this world. Awareness is the first step to change. We pray that this awareness may help us to be delivered from the cultural conditioning that hinders and hampers our vision and prevents us from recognising the dignity and the rights of others.
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